DENVER – Thomas William Quintin, age 64, formerly of Denver, Colorado, and Andrew Howard Parkins, age 42, formerly of Denver, Colorado, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on February 8, 2012, for conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, United States Attorney John F. Walsh, and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Sowards announced. Quintin was arrested without incident and Parkins is currently in custody in Arizona on state fraud charges. A writ has been issued to transfer Parkins to the custody of the U.S. Marshals. When that writ is executed Parkins will be transported to Denver by the U.S. Marshals Service.

According to the indictment, from as early as July 2009, and continuing through October 2009, in the District of Colorado and elsewhere, Quintin and Parkins, conspired with each other to defraud the United States Treasury, particularly, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), by submitting false claims for federal income tax refunds, as part of individual federal income tax returns filed with the IRS. These returns were based upon and supported by false, fraudulent, and fictitious information about federal income taxes purportedly withheld from individual taxpayers.

It was part of the conspiracy that Quintin and Andrew Parkins would obtain through ancestory.com, the names and social security numbers of deceased persons. The defendants would then create false, fictitious, and fraudulent federal income tax returns by using fraudulent Forms W-2’s they created.

Quintin and Parkins hired individuals to unknowingly assist in the creation and filing of in excess of 2000 fraudulent federal tax returns with several on-line tax preparation services over an approximate three-month period. The IRS then electronically wired the tax refunds to bank accounts in Colorado that were opened and controlled by Quintin. Approximately $1.8 million dollars were electronically wired to Quintin.

Quintin was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, five counts of misuse of social security number, five counts of false claims against the government, five counts of aggravated identification theft, and five counts of wire fraud. Parkins was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the government.

If convicted of conspiracy to defraud the government, the defendants face a penalty of not more than 10 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of misuse of a social security number, Quintin faces a penalty of not more than 5 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 per count. If convicted of false claims against the government, Quintin faces a penalty of not more than 5 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 per count. If convicted of aggravated identification theft, Quintin faces a penalty of not more than 2 years imprisonment per count, and a fine of up $250,000. If convicted of wire fraud, Quintin faces a penalty of not more than 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 per count.

The sentences for aggravated identity theft are mandatory consecutive to any other counts in the indictment.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

The defendants were indicted by the late Bob Mydans, Assistant U.S. Attorney. They are now being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully.

The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.